Chapter 81: Cultivation And Testing (II)

Upon reaching the outer city, Lin Zheyu found a secluded spot where he changed into dark clothing and put on a mask to avoid being recognized. He then headed toward the Baishan District, a place he was familiar with, since he had once lived there for a period of time.

Crossing a narrow alley, he arrived at the junction between Baishan and Pingnan Districts, where he spotted a towering tree, 4 or 5 meters tall. Following the sketch drawn by Ning Hui, Lin Zheyu found an old residence.

Along the way, he encountered many people dressed mysteriously, their appearances concealed. Some covered their faces with cloths, some wore masks, while others used veiled bamboo hats.

After paying a tael of silver, Lin Zheyu finally entered Songyi City’s black market. The black market was a vast underground hollow, with many passages branching in all directions, giving it an air of limitless expanse.

It was Lin Zheyu’s first visit to the black market, and curiosity stirred within him. As he wandered through its stalls, he discovered that the place truly sold everything imaginable. Goods, both legal and forbidden, were displayed in dazzling abundance before his eyes.

There are even cultivation techniques for sale!

Lin Zheyu spotted a stall selling cultivation techniques and squatted down curiously to take a look. The man running the stall wore a round-faced child mask. He had a burly build, and his aura was strong, clearly at the Organ Forging Realm.

There were only three manuals, each bearing just a name and a simple description: Radiant Fire Sword, Burning Heaven Palm, and Mighty Force Fist.

"Brother, how much are these techniques? Are they reliable?" asked Lin Zheyu in a slightly hoarse voice.

"100 taels of silver each, no bargaining. If cultivated to mastery, these techniques can help one reach the peak of the Organ Forging Realm," said the man, casting a glance at Lin Zheyu.

Lin Zheyu grimaced.

So expensive. Such shabby techniques are being sold at such a high price?

After a moment of thought, he asked, "Are they reliable? There won’t be any problems, right?"

"Guaranteed. You can ask around if you like. I come every time the black market opens. If they weren’t reliable, my reputation would have rotted long ago," replied the man, patting his chest.

"So these techniques have already been sold to many people? You still charge such a high price even after selling so many?" asked Lin Zheyu.

"What about it? Even if sold to many, they can still be cultivated to the Organ Forging Realm," said the man.

"Sell each for 10 taels?" Lin Zheyu bargained.

The man glared at him and replied, "Get lost!"

Lin Zheyu shrugged, got up, and continued wandering through the black market. After passing through one cave and entering another, he found another man selling the exact same techniques as the first vendor. This man sold them cheaper, at 80 taels of silver per manual. Lin Zheyu was speechless. He felt that if he kept looking, he might find someone selling them for 70 taels, or even 60.

After exploring the entire black market, he found that many people sold techniques, all priced above 50 taels. They were all ordinary techniques. Some could only help one cultivate to the early stages of the Organ Forging Realm, while the best could at most help one reach its peak.

Unfortunately, the prices were too high. If they had been a dozen taels or so, Lin Zheyu would not have minded buying a few to study.

Besides cultivation techniques, the black market offered all sorts of goods. People sold weapons, armor, poisons, poison powders, and even hidden weapons.

Many of the poisons’ names were ones Lin Zheyu had seen in the Toxicology Codex. Their prices were high, with the lowest profits still being at least double the cost.

This is also a profitable business!

Lin Zheyu’s eyes lit up as he discovered a new way to make money. In addition to all the small stalls, the black market also had official shops. Unlike the street vendors, the items in these shops were more expensive but more reliable, with no chance of being fraudulent.

After browsing around, Lin Zheyu chose a trustworthy shop where he sold off his jewelry, unused hidden weapons, and poison powders, earning him a total of 178 taels of silver.

"Not bad. Another hundred or so taels earned. As expected, honest work hardly earns anything. Shady paths bring money much faster," muttered Lin Zheyu to himself.

The black market operated from dusk until dawn, with a constant stream of people entering and leaving throughout the night. Lin Zheyu did not stay until morning. He left right after he sold off his items.

Although the black market had all kinds of goods, none of them were what he needed. He stepped out of the old residence. The moment he emerged, he sensed dozens of malicious gazes fixed upon him. He scanned the surroundings but saw no figures; they were all concealed within the surrounding forest.

Inside the black market, fighting was forbidden, but outside, there were no such rules. Robbing and being robbed depended solely on one’s own ability. Lin Zheyu cast a glance toward the forest, then walked calmly into the distance as if nothing had happened.

"Boss, are we going or not?"

In the forest, five burly men huddled together, the one on the left whispering the question. They had to choose their targets carefully. A single mistake against a true expert could cost them their lives. Lurking outside the black market to rob required sharp judgment.

"Let’s go! Even though he’s wrapped up tightly and wears a mask that hides his face, the skin on the back of his hands is smooth and tender. He’s definitely no older than 25. No matter how talented he is, at that age, he can’t be too powerful," said the leader, analyzing calmly.

His eye for detail was excellent. He was skilled at judging age, and in past robberies, his predictions had always led to easy victories.

Hearing the leader’s assessment, one of the men urged eagerly, "Move! Don’t let anyone else beat us to it!"

Their figures shifted, rushing quickly in the direction Lin Zheyu had taken. Moments later, three more masked figures in black burst from the forest and followed.

Under the moonlight, a cold wind swept by. Tree branches swayed, casting flickering shadows. Lin Zheyu walked along a secluded path at a steady pace, the bundle tied to his waist bulging with 178 taels of silver.

His expression shifted slightly as he sensed movement approaching from behind. There were eight pursuers, moving with great speed, all rapidly closing in on him.

So, I’ve been targeted after all,

thought Lin Zheyu, letting out a cold laugh.

He did not enjoy killing, but he did not mind it either. He had not brought his saber, since the one Han Mo gifted him bore distinct features. However, he had brought plenty of throwing knives, prepared precisely for situations like this. His right hand reached into his pouch, and he drew out eight throwing knives that glinted with cold light.

"Boss, he stopped. Looks like he’s waiting for us. Should we really go?"

The five men looked at Lin Zheyu standing calmly in the distance, and a trace of fear rose in their hearts. This man clearly knew he was being stalked, yet instead of fleeing, he stood waiting. That was definitely unusual.

"What’s there to fear? He’s bluffing for sure. I’ve seen plenty like him!" said another man impatiently.

The man, keeping his eyes on Lin Zheyu, exclaimed in horror, "Damn, he’s charging toward us!"

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.

Before they could even turn to flee, five silver-white throwing knives streaked through the night at astonishing speed toward them.

Pfft, pfft, pfft.

The sound of blades piercing flesh rang out, followed by eight screams that shattered the stillness of the night. Not only the five burly men, but the three who had followed after them were also struck by Lin Zheyu’s throwing knives.

Damn, we hit a hard one!

That was the leader’s final thought.

As he struggled to keep running, a second throwing knife slanted into the back of his skull, shattering bone and spraying blood. The screams ceased, and the night fell silent again, leaving only the howling wind.

Lin Zheyu walked over and rifled through the eight men’s belongings, finding many hidden weapons and poison powders, plus 58 taels of silver.

Lin Zheyu held the silver and could not help but say, "This money sure comes fast!"

Not long ago, he had worried about lacking the money to buy Blood-Nourishing Bone-Fortifying Decoction. He never expected that now, walking down the road, 50 plus taels of silver would be delivered to his hands.

After sorting through their belongings, Lin Zheyu turned and returned to the black market. The people hidden outside the old residence saw Lin Zheyu return, and their expressions shifted as relief rose in their hearts.

Luckily for them, they hadn’t acted earlier.

Meanwhile, Lin Zheyu sold the items he’d taken from the stalkers and made 13 taels of silver. Lin Zheyu thought it over, bought a cloak and a veiled bamboo hat at the black market, and changed his outfit.

Leaving the old residence, Lin Zheyu seemed uneasy. His steps were tense, his breath came fast, and he looked every bit the rookie. However, he walked far without seeing anyone following, which left him somewhat disappointed.

A thought crossed Lin Zheyu’s mind.

Maybe I should go back and finish those guys off?

Those men were no good, so killing them would not weigh heavily on his conscience. So he went back. But when he crept into the woods to the spot where they had hidden, he found they had all fled. His plan had failed. Those men were exceedingly alert; they ran the instant they sensed something amiss.